t will all come straight, I
know."

"I shall not marry you for the next seven years, no, not for twenty,
until everybody is willing," said Delia, decisively.

Why couldn't people be kindly affectioned one toward another, as the
Apostle enjoined, when there was nothing very objectionable in the
other? It puzzled Ben. He was passionately fond of his mother, too; but
the issue had to be met. And the very next evening when Mrs. Underhill
was out watering her garden, that had in it all manner of sweet herbs
and the old-time flowers dear to her heart, Ben came wandering down the
clean-cut path.

"Mother," when they had both stood silently several minutes,--"mother, I
want to tell you--Delia Whitney and I are engaged."

"I supposed as much," said his mother, tartly. Then she turned to come
up the path.

"Mother, you have welcomed Dolly and Cleanthe; and we have all been like
brothers and sisters. Haven't you a tender word for Delia? You used to
like her."

"Delia Whitney was well enough for a neighbour. You have run and run
there, Ben, and really never taken the trouble to look about. You are
young, and hardly know what is best for you. You could have looked
higher. But you've gotten in with those newspaper people; and they do
drink, and are not very choice in their company."

"And lawyers drink; yet we are going to make a lawyer out of Jim. And we
have known country farmers addicted to the habit. Newspaper-men are
quite up to the average. But that has nothing to do with Delia."

"No, women don't so often take to drinking. But she is in it all; and I
don't like such public business for a woman. A wife's place is at home;
and Mrs. Whitney is a very poor housekeeper. Ben, a great deal of a
man's happiness depends on the way his house is kept."

"But their house is always bright and pleasant. And think how Delia used
to work in First Street. She can keep house good enough for me."

"You have always had things so neat and orderly, Ben, that you don't
know how trying that sort of helter-skelter housekeeping can be. A woman
can't run hither and yon, and write stories and what not; and now they
are beginning to lecture and talk, and make themselves as mannish as
possible! No, I don't like it. And I pity the man who has to live in
that sort of neglected home. And then, Ben, come disputes and
separations."

He had heard the narrow reasoning before. Mrs. Reed came into his mind.
With her passion for cleanliness and order,